Kuala lumpur: Heads of Departments, agency leaders and secretaries-general of ministries were today urged to immediately translate the recommendations of the Malaysia GovTech Flagship Report into action, said Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. Speaking at the launch of the report, he emphasized that reform must be visible, measurable, and impactful, calling on government leaders to utilize the report's findings, discuss them with their leadership teams, and 'translate its recommendations into immediate action.'
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Shamzul Azri highlighted that meaningful transformation begins with a decision to improve-whether by simplifying a process, removing an unnecessary requirement, or making a service easier for the rakyat. He pointed out that the next phase of Malaysia's digital transformation is not just about digitizing isolated services but creating greater public value through a structured Whole-of-Government (WoG) ecosystem.
In support of this transition, Shamzul Azri noted that the government has institutionalized GovTech Malaysia under the Ministry of Digital to develop the Government Integrated Digital Services Gateway, implemented through the MyGOV Malaysia platform. He explained that this highly secure mobile gateway would offer a seamless and uniform User Interface and Experience (UI/UX) for the rakyat, breaking down administrative silos and optimizing public resources.
He raised a vital question: 'How much better has the Government become because of digital transformation?' Shamzul Azri emphasized that the focus should be on whether digital transformation has reduced the time citizens spend dealing with the government and made it easier for businesses to invest and grow.
Elaborating further, Shamsul Azri shared that Malaysia has over 1.6 million public servants, making the public service one of the country's largest institutions, with the potential to positively impact millions of Malaysians every day. He mentioned the strong foundation already laid by the government through initiatives such as MyDigital ID, wider adoption of MyGovCloud, and the expansion of paperless public services.
However, Shamsul Azri stressed that technology alone cannot transform organizations. 'Technology does not transform organizations. People do. Technology simply enables people to perform better,' he stated. Successful digital transformation, he added, depends heavily on leadership, people, and culture, emphasizing that leadership should be measured by the improvement in people's lives, not just the number of digital initiatives approved.
He further pointed out that the responsibility of digital transformation does not fall on the Ministry of Digital alone but is shared by every ministry, department, and public servant. Citizens experience 'One Government' rather than one ministry at a time, making it essential for agencies to break down institutional silos, share data responsibly, and design services around the needs of the rakyat.
Shamsul Azri concluded by asserting that history would not judge the government by the number of digital systems developed but by whether the lives of Malaysians improved because of the decisions made today.